County JAFC final preview: Canovee v Mayfield

SUNDAY: Bon Secours Hospital County Junior A Football Championship final: Canovee v Mayfield, Páirc Uí Rinn, 4pm 

Meetings between these two sides have been few and far between, you have to go back to 2013 for the last engagement in the championship which was a final with a different kind of pressure. It was the intermediate relegation play-off final on a day when Mayfield won out on a scoreline of 0-14 to 1-8.

Both teams have had a hard time of it in recent times, but both will hope Sunday is the accumulation of all the hard work put in.

Both teams are here on merit, in Canovee’s case it isn’t a surprise that they have landed in the county final given they were the favourites before a ball was even kicked at the start of the year. Mayfield would have also been a contender and they have certainly done very well to date. The city championship might not be as strong as it once was but it’s still a difficult one to win and Mayfield managed to do that. They beat Nemo Rangers third team in the final, two years on from the Trabeg side winning against Mayfield in the first round.

Canovee justified their favourite tag with a dazzling display against a strong Castlemagner team in the semi-final two weeks ago with the Carrigadrohid based side winning out fairly comfortably in the end, 4-11 to 1-6. The team in black and amber were in control from start to finish with Jack Kelleher and Conor O’Neill on song in the forward department. Both have been consistent performers recently, Kelleher finished up with 0-8 (0- 2 f) the last day. O’Neill bagged himself two goals, but it wasn’t just about his green flags, his overall play was top class. Evan Dodd and Odhran O’Driscoll are central figures in defence while Conor Dodd has been the driving force from midfield. 

Starting on the front foot has been key for Canovee this season, apart from the Mid-Cork final when Inniscarra scored two goals inside the first ten minutes. 

The Muskerry outfit won the divisional crown back in October and are aiming to win this particular county championship for the first time since 2007. They will hope to succeed their neighbours and rivals Kilmurry in claiming the crown.

After losing the city semi-final last season to Brian Dillon’s, Mayfield have regrouped and have really pushed on in 2023. Winning the Seandún championship back in September was a huge step forward in the development of this relatively young group of players.

The team in red and white showed character in the county semi-final win over a tough Ballygarvan outfit two weeks ago, winning a cracking game 3-11 to 2-13. Experienced campaigner Nicky Kelly landed the winning point in injury-time much to the delight of the vocal Mayfield supporters. 

Mayfield did lead by six points in that one with a quarter of the match remaining but Ballygarvan reeled them in to draw parity. It will be something the manager Maurice Barry and his selectors will no doubt look at before Sunday’s encounter. But, when it was level they could have easily panicked, but had the composure to work the ball into a scoring position for Kelly to pop the ball over the bar from close-range. 

Paul Condon is another player who has been around the block and he’s still going strong, he scored 1-5 (0-3 f) with David O’Neill and Kelly kicking 1-2 each in that last four victory. Joey Gibson is a young and talented player in the backline and a player to look out for with Kevin Punch a no-nonsense defender. Mayfield are bidding for their first ever county football crown.

A huge crowd is expected to pass through the Boreenmanna Road venue turnstiles on Sunday with both clubs always well backed. Canovee will start as favourites, which isn't a huge surprise. They do look to have a more balanced team. But if they aren’t on it, Mayfield have to be ready to pounce. The opening stages will be critical, because we have seen many times in this campaign once Canovee are ahead, they are a difficult side to overtake. Mayfield will no doubt have a right go. 

It should be interesting.